Dredge bucket



Oct. 17, 1939. e. RgHANKS 7 2,176,840

' I I DREDGE BUCKET Filed Sept. 8, 1938 Patented Oct. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DREDGE. BUCKET Application September 8, 1938, Serial No. 229,003

1 Claim.

The invention provides certain improvements in chain dredge buckets of the Stires type in which as disclosed, for example, in Letters Patent No. 1,984,322 the lip is swingingly mounted and secured with relation to its seat by quick-acting locking provisions disposed sometimes in part internally of the bucket, and, in part, externally of the bucket. When the external locks are manifested as vertical bolts, as sometimes is the case, they suffer the disadvantage that being exposed to the impact of hard rock and boulders, they are frequently broken or otherwise seriously damaged to the point Where their usefulness as securing or tightening elements is destroyed or so impaired that they must be replaced and the replacement is sometimes accomplished onl with difficulty.

It is the principal object of the invention to obviate the disadvantageous conditions stated and to provide simple and effective means for protecting the locking bolts from damage under ordinary conditions of digging stress.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention more readily will be understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view on line l-l of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of the hood and lip showing the streamline arrangement of the rock guards.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of one of the rock guards.

In the drawing 5 represents a chain dredge bucket which, save in the. particulars hereinafter stated, is of usual construction with respect to the formation of the hood and the linkage provisions for connecting the bucket in chain fashion. 6 is a lip having inside apron extensions, as at 1, and outside apron extension 8 whereby the lip may straddle the ledge 9 of the hood or bucket and come to rest against the 5 usual shoulder or abutment Ill. The abutment or lip seat I0 is formed with apertured lugs H for the passage of vertical bolts 12 carried by the lip and secured in tightening relation by nuts l3.

The bolt-carrying provisions of the lip are preferably formed as boxing elements comprising 5 apertured lugs I4 in line with the bolt eyes of the bucket and matching the same and having webs l5 with their edge walls inclined and vanishing in the body of the lip. The construction and arrangement stated is effective to protect the 10 ends of the bolts and yet because of the streamline arrangement obviates objectionable overhang and maintains the relative offsetting of parts of the hood and lip within permissible limits. 15

In substantial vertical alinement with the bolts and maintaining the streamline arrangement thereof and of the bolt-carrying provisions are rock guards l6 which, by preference, are lugs springing from the hood an effective distance to 20 take the shock or impact of hard rock and other refractory elements, which in the absence of the guards, would destroy or seriously impair the useful life of the bolts. The lugs l6 have side bolsters in the form of tying webs I I which 25 vanish in the body of the hood. The apertures I8, when present, are useful in that they make for uniformity of heat treatment and also permit the introduction of a punch or the like in order to facilitate the removal of the bolts.

Having described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

A dredge bucket having a lip seat and lugs having openings to receive lip-securing bolts, a 35 lip adapted to the seat and having bolt-carrying lugs with boxing provisions to protect the heads of the bolts, and lugs below and alined with the bolt-carrying lugs of the bucket and effective as rock guards to protect the nutted ends of the bolts, said lugs serving as rock guards having openings in line with the bolts for the passage of a punch or the like to facilitate the removal of a jammed bolt.

GEORGE R. HANKS. 

